"I wasn't expecting your visit, Village Chief Brane," the Princess of the Garden remarked, her brow arching in surprise.
It was unusual for the Village Chief to come to the Garden, so she was taken aback by his sudden appearance.
"I apologize for not informing you beforehand, but I heard Orion is in the Garden. I've come to meet him because an urgent matter requires his attention," the Village Chief explained solemnly.
Upon hearing his words, the Princess felt a headache starting to form. Orion had only been in the Garden for a day, and the Village Chief was already seeking him out. If she hadn't known better, she might have thought the Chief was Orion's parent, coming to find him because he hadn't returned home the previous night.
The Princess of the Garden collected her thoughts and explained the situation to the Village Chief.
As the Princess elaborated, the Village Chief's expression grew increasingly serious before he nodded in understanding.
"I didn't expect it to be so dire. Orion truly possesses a remarkable talent for handling challenges that exceed his control," the Village Chief remarked, his tone tinged with admiration.
"In that case, could you help me relay a message to him?" he requested.
"I'm sorry, Village Chief, but even in his current whereabouts, I cannot communicate or meet with him," the Princess of the Garden replied, her demeanour reflecting her disappointment as she shook her head.
A frown etched across the Village Chief's expression as he pondered the situation. After a moment of deep contemplation, he exhaled tiredly. "If that's the case, relay this message to him when he returns," he responded.
If Orion was meeting with Aegis of the Arctic Deity, there was little they could do until his return. That meant they would have to handle the situation of the four-star Vylkr vines without Orion's intervention.
"Understood, Village Chief Brane. I will relay the information to Orion when he returns," the Princess of the Garden replied.
The Village Chief bid her farewell with a nod before leaving the Garden. However, he postponed his plans for the following day, waiting to see if Orion emerged by then.
….......
Two days later
Orion reclined comfortably on his mat as Aeriallia entertained him with stories of her battles during 'The Great War.'
He had initially intended to use the opportunity to learn new techniques, but he quickly dismissed the idea. His offensive skills were already formidable enough. Further learning would be akin to acquiring mere tricks to toy with his opponents, needlessly consuming time better spent gathering information about Aeriallia's past and the gods she had encountered.
Moreover, his Vylkr energy, comparable to Divine energy, coupled with his gift, provided more than enough power to contend with any opponent he might face, provided they were not significantly stronger or possessed extraordinary abilities.
….........
Three days later
An enormous pair of golden-slitted eyes suddenly materialized in the void above him.
"You're still here," Aegis of the Arctic Deity remarked, glancing at Orion. He never envisioned witnessing such a close bond between a goddess and a mortal, both fervently committed to a singular task.
Orion turned his gaze toward Aegis. "Yes, we are still here. While I appreciate your occasional visits, why not join us? I understand how lonely it can be here for an extended period," he suggested.
Aerialia paused her storytelling and looked at Aegis of the Arctic Deity with a smile.
A resounding sigh echoed abruptly through the surrounding space, emanating from Aegis of the Arctic Deity.
"What do I have to do for you to leave this place?" Aegis of the Arctic Deity asked solemnly.
"We only want to learn about your identity and relationship with Naka," Orion replied.
Aerialia nodded in agreement, "Once we've learned that, we'll leave and return to the surface."
"Are you sure? Because I can assure you that this isn't an easy request for you and me?" Aegis of the Arctic Deity responded, his gaze sharpening as he stared at them.
Orion rose from his mat with resolve. "Yes, I am," he affirmed.
Aerialia remained silent, her serious expression conveying her response.
Aegis of the Arctic Deity nodded. "Very well. Let me introduce myself first; I am Oberion, the 700,010th Divine Apostle to god Aerednir, the god who holds dominion over wind, illusion, and nature," he responded.
Orion nodded, absorbing the information that Aegis of the Arctic Deity had just shared with them.
"Before we continue, Oberon, could you reveal yourself to us? As much as I appreciate speaking to you like this, I think it would be much better if we could see you naturally," Aerialia said.
Aegis of the Arctic Deity was not dead like her and was simply using a projection to speak with them, so she was really curious about what a Pixie who had attained Divinity would look like.
She believed he had a body because he had been moved out of the mountain with a box when Orion had transported the Prismerions through the Dead Forest to the Village.
"Are you sure, goddess Aerialia? I assure you that my body is unlike anything you are currently considering. There is a reason why it's hidden from all who gaze upon me, after all," he responded.
Aerialia's eyes burned with even more curiosity as she heard Aegis of the Arctic Deity's response. "Show it to me," she replied.
Remembering White Flame's form, Orion was also curious about Aegis of the Arctic Deity's form. Was it similar to the Pixies' form or as bizarre as White Flame's?
Orion watched in anticipation as Aegis of the Arctic Deity nodded and slowly vanished from the void above them.
The path before them abruptly brightened up by a bright light emerging from the void above them, and soon, a figure appeared, a tall, slender being with skin that shimmered with an opalescent glow, changing colours with every movement and brightening up the space around him. He didn't possess any pupils; instead, his eyes were wide, filled with shimmering small dots as though the stars and the universe were trapped within his eyes themselves.
His hair resembled bright shooting stars, flowing backwards in an unnatural and almost ethereal way. Behind him were two Pixie-like wings that shimmered with celestial purples and blues hues.
As he approached them, every movement seemed effortless, as though it had been practised beforehand with no room for error. It was perfect, almost too perfect, giving the impression that the individual before them was an otherworldly being, not of this world.
